On the first day of Baku Grand Prix, champions and prize winners were found out in two weight classes. Two members of Georgian team wrestled on tatami. One of them ended up the tournament without loss. Amiran Papinashvili (60 kg) won 4 matches and gained 3 000 USD with gold medal. Besides that, he earned 200 rating points.
Papinashvili (60 kg) started participation from the second circle. He beat Kazakh Ashkhat Telmanov by ippon. Then, he won over Azerbaijani Ilgar Mushkiyev by waza-ari and will wrestle against Finnish Valtteri Jokinen in semifinal. Georgian Giorgi Zantaraia who is competing in the name of Ukraine and Mongolian Boldbaatar Chimed Yondon will fight for final.
There is no repechage at Grand Prix. Zantaraia who lost semifinal took the 3rd place. Also, Valtteri Jokinen who was beat by Papinashvili won bronze medal.
Shalva Kardava wrestled in 66 kg but he lost in the first circle. Slovenian Rok Draksic became champion in this weight class. He beat Spanish Sugoi Uriarte in final. Italian Francesco Faraldo and Russian Mikhail Pulyaev won bronze medals.
Women champions and prize winners were found out. Russian Liudmila Bogdanova became champion in 48 kg, French Priscilla Gneto – in 52 kg and Azerbaijani Kifayat Gasimova – in 57 kg.
Tomorrow, men champions and prize winners will be found out in 73 and 81 kg and women – in 63 and 70 kg. The following Georgian judokas will wrestle tomorrow: Tengiz Paposhvili, Nugzar Tatalashvili (both 73 kg), Levan Tsiklauri and Avtandil Chrikishvili (81 kg).
Romanian Adrian Nicolae Merge will be opponent of Paposhvili. Winner between them will wrestle against Canadian Nicholas Tritton. Tatalashvili will start participation from the second circle and Azerbaijani Nadir Babayev will be his opponent.
Chrikishvili and Tsiklauri will start participation from the second circle. Hungarian Sandor Nagysolymosi and Turkish Ahmet Sari will be their opponents.
Otar Maglakelidze
